I collect so many things. Mostly vintage, and mostly tiny. For a while now I’ve been trying to come up with something creative to do with them. Open a museum of tiny things? That would probably be too expensive and then I’d have to sit there all day….which wouldn’t be bad at first but eventually it would get old.

Make interesting collages out of them? Well I’ve already done that for some of them:

As I started sorting things one day I thought how a fun gift for someone would be a smaller curated collection of finds. I could put them into an old box or tin…just like the opening credits to To Kill a Mockingbird…as if the finds had been collected from a knothole of a tree, all left by Boo Radley. So I started. Each collection was completely unique and I decided to call them Knothole Boxes. I even hand-carved a stamp so that each box would have a unique tag:

Fitting all the items into each tin is almost a puzzle. I wrap some and place others in little nooks and crannies. Some of the smaller items I put in little specimen containers so they aren’t thrown away:

Here’s one ready to go…Box No. 1.79Xq:

This was my third box….Box No. Pi:

Each box comes with an inventory that I’ve typed up on one of my trusty old typewriters:

I also enclose a note that explains what a Knothole Box is…just in case it’s for a gift:

What is a Knothole Box?

Sometimes I find things in my path that I often think Boo Radley (To Kill a Mockingbird) could have put there himself. I pick up little trinkets and treasures wherever I go. Feathers, shells, prickly things I can’t identify.

And I collect things. Things that I think must have a wonderful story to them. Things that people don’t use any more. Things that someone probably lost, someone just like me but in a different time. Things that need their story continued.

Each Knothole Box is filled with items I’ve carefully selected. Every box is completely unique and has been curated over time with a lot of thought. In each box is a hand-typed detailed inventory. I apologize in advance for all the x’d out mistakes. My grandmother Marge failed the typing test in secretarial school so I must have inherited her typewriter skills. There’s no backspace and my typewriter eraser went into a knothole at some point along the way.

What is this box for? Anything you want it to be. Unwrap the treasures one at a time. Investigate things you don’t recognize. Use them as writing prompts. Leave items for other people to find. This box is yours now.

Boxes 9 and 10 were listed on Etsy todayand I’m now working on boxes 11 and 12 but they won’t be finished for a while, I still need to find the perfect elongated tin for number 12 because of some of the shapes of the objects. Every collection unique and varies in size and price. It’s become a new hunt for me to find things that will round out one of the mysterious collections.

Sorry I’ve been a little absent but sometimes I just get off in my creative world and forget to write about what I’me doing. I have a bunch to catch on! I did finally finish up some artwork. I varnished and apple hardware to all of these yesterday and finally listed them in the shop:

I’m always asked what I do with all my found objects and collections….I display them. I use shadow boxes, glass boxes, mason jars and almost any type of display I come across. I shared the sea glass box in yesterday’s post:

I like to photograph found objects in collage form first….that’s one way to “keep” things without actually keeping them. But I’m a found object hoarder:

The good news is that I have a thing for shadow boxes and they tend to keep my collections pretty organized…especially since I probably start a new collection every single week:

A few vintage Smoky Mountain pennants I found (three starts a collection right?) needed a good display:

I just pinned them to a back-loading shadow box I found a Michaels. If I find any more I’ll probably just get a larger shadow box and create a circle shape:

This one I hung on the wall:

A collection of arrowheads I put together for a friend’s new rental cabin. I attached (permanently) to the linen backing of the shadow box using liquid nails. If you don’t want to attach things permanently you can add a layer of cushion and fabric so that they sink and sit right against the glass.

The attached arrowheads:

These three shadow boxes are top load which I love because they can be changed out easily. I keep them on a large table in our living room as “specimen” boxes:

Visitors love to open the boxes and go through the trinkets and found objects. I add to them almost daily:

And what about these other random objects:

And things like seashells?

I use these rustic divided shadow boxes for some of them and other I put into inexpensive quart mason jars:

The boxes are supposed to hang on the wall but I stack them horizontally on a shelf with the jars on top and around them:

I always laugh when overhear Sienna when new friends come over to the house:

Friend: What’s with the doll heads in a jar?

Sienna: Oh that’s just my mom’s creepy stuff.

I must be winning at parenthood. You’d tell me if I wasn’t right? And one day I will open that oddity museum I always dream about: Ashley’s Cabinet of Odd and Creepy Curiosities. Maybe that will be Sienna’s first summer job…tearing ticket stubs.

Don’t feel too sorry for her…she has boxes of her own. I couldn’t get photos of them because they are stacked high on a shelf in her closet but I did get a photo of this shadow box that hangs on her wall. It’s also front opening and every time we visit a historical landmark, national park or museum we purchase a pin. They are all in order so it’s fun to look back to see where we’ve been:

All of my boxes are from Michaels. They have a great selection and in many different sections if you look around.

I collect a lot of things…sea glass and river glass included. Here’s a fun way to display a sea glass collection out in the open using a glass box:

I call mine river glass because it comes from the banks of the Tuckasegee River here in Bryson City…sometimes I find it on the lake bed too:

I started with a simple glass display box from Michaels Stores…they have a great selection this spring in the floral section. I used my Cricut Machine to cut a vinyl stencil but you can also cut your own just using an Exacto knife or razor blade:

I masked off the areas where I don’t want paint to go:

I sprayed a light coat of white spray paint for my letters but you can also use frosted glass spray or glass etching cream like I did on this etched soap bottle project.

I just used spray paint because it’s quick, the only drawback is that it can’t get a lot of rough handling or the paint might scratch off. I carefully peeled off the stencil to reveal the letters:

And my project was done just like that. I display this box with some of the other shadow boxes I use to corral collections. Now all river glass has a place in our home!

Refreshing your home for spring is as easy as swapping out a few décor pieces or adding pretty faux florals. Make sure to check out my succulent project I did last month. Michaels has everything you need to get started….including an entire selection of pretty glass boxes for the Spring!

Stay tuned as I’ll be sharing a few more display ideas this month using shadow boxes.

Looking for more inspiration? Make sure you visit Michaels’ blog, The Glue String, to see the rest of the Michaels Makers’ Spring Refresh project ideas. [Read more…]

Did I tell you that I got a new metal detector for Christmas? Whenever Brett asks me what I want for a gift I’m usually at a loss for words because I don’t really ever want or need anything. Of course books and art supplies are always welcome gifts but usually I am already in great supply of those two. I told him two things: a pig and a metal detector. We really don’t have a place to keep a pig at the moment (maybe one day?). All my treks on the dry lake bed and on the banks of the river made me start thinking about a metal detector…how fun it would be to have one.

Opening Christmas presents I was sure that I wasn’t getting anything…I mean a good metal detector costs about $150 or more and Brett and I both are pretty thrifty. Just as a joke every tiny gift I opened I would shake before hand and say, “I bet this is my metal detector!” I opened one gift and it was a pig! A stuffed pig. Brett kept saying he was sorry he didn’t get me anything except a stuffed pig. And then we were done. Later in the day my brother came over and handed me a large box. And guess what it was….

Turns out Brett had conspired to get the metal detector sent to my brother’s house so it would be a complete surprise. It worked because I was totally surprised!

On Christmas day my sister and I dug up her backyard looking for things. When we finally got a loud beep my brother dug down into the earth and pulled out something metal. You would have thought we’d discovered a lost galleon of treasure at our reaction. It turned out to be the end of an old hose…but we still considered it treasure because we’d found it under the earth!

I’ve only used the metal detector once since then…it turns out I’m only a fair weather metal detectorist. It’s been so cold and rainy that I haven’t had a chance to really get out there and use it. But the day that I did use it I found a few things.

Here’s what I’ve found so far:

Nothing of material value but I think it’s all awesome. I’ll just keep saving it all and maybe I can make something interesting out it one day. I always joke to my friends that one day I’m going to open up a small oddity museum for all of my random found objects.I might just do that one day.

These are things that I found on the lake bed just walking around…so imagine what might lie under the surface:

I keep all the cool glass finds separate:

This was another found object collage from the end of 2016:

The “Jesus Loves U” pin was clipped to my handbag one day when I wasn’t looking. I don’t know if that’s creepy or neat. The little doll face was given to me by someone else who found it. Still technically found. I love the randomness of it all.

So one day maybe I’ll be a little eccentric old lady piddling around her cases of eccentric oddities. So, would any of you ever come visit my oddity museum?

I love nothing more than having time to just look around for random found objects. As I scavenge I’m making little collages in my head, connecting shapes and color gradations. The seashells at the outer banks were like a treasure trove. I wasn’t looking for intact shells, just the interesting pieces and wow:

Color families:

Spiral shaped:

Heart shaped:

Eroded shells that look like they came from another planet:

And I left the best for last…my favorite shells are the inner core remnants of conch and other sea snail type shells. I’m sure they have a name…anyone know?

Brett says the Outer Banks might call soon to ask for all their shells back. Don’t worry, I didn’t take too many.

I had a few questions on Instagram about what I do with all my found objects. Sometimes I just dump them all in a jar once I’ve arranged them and taken a photo. Some things get put into large front loading shadow boxes that I keep on a table in our living room. Other things just get put right back out where I found them. I just enjoy the process!

Recycled crayons have been around forever but Boo and I wanted to share our take on them: colorpillars! These are great as a fun weekend project or as party favors and gifts.

We bought our centipede silicone mold from TJ Maxx….they have some really cute ones at Marshall’s too now and then: dinosaur bones, legos, robots, butterflys etc. You could just do an internet search for “silicon ice cube mold” if you are looking for a specific theme.

I keep a Ziploc bag around to collect broken crayons so we always have a supply of them:

Boo and I broke the crayon pieces into small pieces and filled the molds:

I set the oven to 175 degrees and put the crayons in to melt:

It’s a slow process and took about 30 minutes for them to melt entirely. You don’t want to melt them any faster or the colors will become too soupy and turn a brownish color. Once the crayons were melted I removed the pan from the oven and let the mold cool for about 2 hours.

The finished colorpillars! Aren’t they cute?

A few tips!

1. The smaller the bits of crayon….the better the result. It will take less time for the crayon bits to melt and the colors won’t mix as much. Chop them up using a sharp knife.
2. Using the lowest heat possible on the oven is ideal…..you’ll just have to be REALLY patient for the bits to melt. 150 to 175 degrees is recommended.
3. Allow ample time for the crayons to cool so they won’t break as you remove them from the mold.
4. Stay away from washable crayons….they have a wax in them that will float to the top. I use them anyways just in very small amounts.
5. Don’t mix too many colors….in case you end up heating the crayons too much you’ll keep the colors brighter. Mixing across the color wheel results in brownish colors!
6. Quality of crayon can make a difference! I had some cheap dollar store crayons that took too long to melt and left some large chunks. The color seemed duller too.

I was resting in bed today getting ready for my surgery tomorrow and decided to make some cute little pastry erasers. A small crafting project…..so I wouldn’t make too big of a mess in my bed. Aren’t they cute? I could see these being “Barbie food” too…..so tiny and realistic:

I used a fun product called Clayzee…..the eraser version. It’s like a putty and you put it in the microwave (in water) once you are done and it turns into an eraser!

(Note: if you don’t have a Silhouette machine you can use state stickers or find someone who cuts vinyl on Etsy and see if they can cut a map for you!)

I recently made this map for Boo to keep track of her travels with! I started with a 99 cent bulletin board from the thrift store and hot pink spray paint:

First, I sprayed a base layer of hot pink:

Next, I had my Silhouette machine cut out a map of the United States out of adhesive shelf paper (the template for the map was 99 cents from the Silhouette store….completely worth it). I peeled and stuck each state into place leaving a tiny gap in between. I also cut out the wording “Sienna’s Travels”:

Yesterday was Boo’s school open house! I actually was able to get her out of her new wardrobe of “just underwear like Daddy” (disclaimer: Mr. Lil Blue Boo DOES wear more than just underwear during the day) and into a dress. She wouldn’t let me brush her hair but I pick my battles carefully…..and, well, brushing our hair just wasn’t important yesterday. She was SO excited to meet her new teacher! I can’t wait to have some free time to get more projects done!

I did get a bunch of things made last week….here is how the “China Doll” dresses turned out:

I found a small amount of the bottom blue and white lycra knit and made as many as I could. It caught my eye as soon as I saw it on my last fabric hunt. I collect blue and white porcelain…only because I want to be like Martha Stewart and collect some type of “ware.” Most of it’s from my wedding registry….so I haven’t gotten very far in my collection!

Since I’m a studio pack rat….I even keep the broken ones for a “some day” project:

Some of my favorite upcycled dresses of the week:

My friend Lisa (from Ellebows) sent me this adorable photo of her daughter Elle wearing the Lil “Bleu” Boo set I made recently. Elle was born to wear a beret:

I’ve was blessed as a young girl to be able to travel with my family, though I always felt like we could have been in a National Lampoon movie with all our adventures. Most of our trips revolved around golf courses with my dad and sister’s golf. One of my most vivid memories growing up is my brother saying “what a tourist trap” about every place we went. We all loved the “tourist traps” though and I would collect little things from each place for my art journals. My one regret: the Loch Ness Monster Visitor Center in Scotland. Picture this: my sad, longing face pressed against the car window as my dad sped straight through the town of Loch Ness because he and my sister were late for a tee time (I was 20 years old).

Anyways, in the spirit of the world traveler, I made patches to resemble those vintage luggage stickers that covered suitcases long ago……

…..and covered this little “Tourist Trap” dress in them. My favorite part of the dress is the “touristy” knit print for the skirt…..Clark Griswold would be proud!

I can’t get enough of these clipart book/CD sets. The one I used for this project is “Old-Time Label Art” and it is full of vintage travel labels, crate labels, etc…..all high resolution and royalty-free:

First, I printed out the images on transfer paper. (I’ve said it before, but I am now officially hooked on Dharma Trading’s Super Soft Transfer Paper.) Just make sure to print your images in reverse! Note: the fine lines you see in the bottom images are from my dying ink-jet printer….RIP printer.

Then I ironed the images onto a plain white knit. Note: The secret to the transfer process is ironing on a hard surface….using all of your body weight (i.e. don’t use an ironing board!)

I cut out each image and used fusible web to create an “iron-on” patch (you can actually IRON on top of this brand of transfer paper!).

I stitched around each patch to secure to the dress.

Before sewing the dress together I washed all the pieces again to lightly fray the edges of the patches to give them more of a vintage feel.

The main part of the dress was a travel shirt that read “Havana Cuba.”

Patches from all over the world!

Even one that reads “See America First”……which we plan to do as a family this summer in the west!